June 19 – “Happy Father’s Day”

Well, let me start at the end today.  I have already been wished a Happy Father’s Day today.  Came around 6 a.m. actually.  Got a text from Nathan as he got to work.  He is one of those who knows I am usually wide awake and reading the paper by then.  So he is on duty today for his Father’s Day, along with quite a few other guys.  Pray for them, will you?

Now stepping backwards in time just a bit, we made it back home with no problems last night.  Well, unless you count the downpour that started in downtown Houston.  Chris handled it like a champ, though.  And when we got here, who should be homesteading in our house but Christina and her kiddos.  Their air conditioner had gone out, so they needed some relief from the heat.  It wasn’t really a surprise.  She did call and make reservations.  The repair guy couldn’t be at their house until tomorrow sometime.  So there was an early Father’s Day hit.  Not the earliest, though.  That came before we left Arlington when Josh so graciously took us out to Panchos for lunch.  He and I totally enjoyed ourselves.  He taught his youngsters how to raise the flag, and they didn’t seem to mind the food, either.  Especially the free ice cream.  Christi and the new baby endured it with a sort of half-smile.  Chris dug in, but sadly, paid for her experience when we arrived back at the church to hang out with the Winkle family.  Let’s just say that she made more than a few trips to the bathroom “paying for it.”  Once all that was cleared up (or out, if you know what I mean), she seemed to feel much better for the drive home. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that we were greeted upon our return to the Island by a beautiful double rainbow.  One extended across the entire sky, covering the Island from UTMB to somewhere in the West End (maybe Lafitte’s gold?).  One end of that one was absolutely the brightest rainbow I have ever seen.  The pictures I took just didn’t do it justice, in spite of Apple’s claims for its iPhone cameras.  It was a great welcome home and pre-Father’s Day gift from the Lord. 

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Father, thank you for that amazingly beautiful rainbow.  Oh, and would tell Dad I said hello?  Amen.